wild wales-第78章
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seen there again。 However； when October came round he made his
appearance at the Vicarage； where he had always been in the habit
of taking up his quarters； and called on and dined with Miss
Ponsonby at Plas Newydd； but it was observed that he was not so gay
as he had formerly been。 In the evening； on his taking leave of
Miss Ponsonby； she said that he had used her ill。 Sir Alured
coloured； and asked her what she meant； adding that he had not to
his knowledge used any person ill in the course of his life。 'But
I say you have used me ill； very ill；' said Miss Ponsonby； raising
her voice； and the words 'very ill' she repeated several times。 At
last the old soldier waxing rather warm demanded an explanation。
'I'll give it you；' said Miss Ponsonby； 'were you not going away
after having only kissed my hand？' 'Oh；' said the general； 'if
that is my offence； I will soon make you reparation；' and instantly
gave her a hearty smack on the lips； which ceremony he never forgot
to repeat after dining with her on subsequent occasions。〃
We got on the subject of bards； and I mentioned to him Gruffydd
Hiraethog； the old poet buried in the chancel of Llangollen church。
The old clerk was not aware that he was buried there； and said that
though he had heard of him he knew little or nothing about him。
〃Where was he born？〃 said he。
〃In Denbighshire；〃 I replied； 〃near the mountain Hiraethog； from
which circumstance he called himself in poetry Gruffydd Hiraethog。〃
〃When did he flourish？〃
〃About the middle of the sixteenth century。〃
〃What did he write？〃
〃A great many didactic pieces；〃 said I in one of which is a famous
couplet to this effect：
〃He who satire loves to sing
On himself will satire bring。〃
〃Did you ever hear of William Lleyn？〃 said the old gentleman。
〃Yes；〃 said I； 〃he was a pupil of Hiraethog； and wrote an elegy on
his death； in which he alludes to Gruffydd's skill in an old Welsh
metre； called the Cross Consonancy； in the following manner：
'〃In Eden's grove from Adam's mouth
Upsprang a muse of noble growth；
So from thy grave； O poet wise；
Cross Consonancy's boughs shall rise。'〃
〃Really；〃 said the old clerk； 〃you seem to know something about
Welsh poetry。 But what is meant by a muse springing up from Adam's
mouth in Eden？〃
〃Why； I suppose；〃 said I； 〃that Adam invented poetry。〃
I made inquiries of him about the eisteddfodau or sessions of
bards； and expressed a wish to be present at one of them。 He said
that they were very interesting； that bards met at particular
periods and recited poems on various subjects which had been given
out beforehand； and that prizes were allotted to those whose
compositions were deemed the best by the judges。 He said that he
had himself won the prize for the best englyn on a particular
subject at an eisteddfod at which Sir Watkin Williams Wynn
presided； and at which Heber； afterwards Bishop of Calcutta； was
present； who appeared to understand Welsh well； and who took much
interest in the proceedings of the meeting。
Our discourse turning on the latter Welsh poets I asked him if he
had been acquainted with Jonathan Hughes； who the reader will
remember was the person whose grandson I met and in whose arm…chair
I sat at Ty yn y pistyll； shortly after my coming to Llangollen。
He said that he had been well acquainted with him； and had helped
to carry him to the grave； adding； that he was something of a poet；
but that he had always considered his forte lay in strong good
sense rather than poetry。 I mentioned Thomas Edwards； whose
picture I had seen in Valle Crucis Abbey。 He said that he knew him
tolerably well； and that the last time he saw him was when he；
Edwards； was about seventy years of age； when he sent him in a cart
to the house of a great gentleman near the aqueduct where he was
going to stay on a visit。 That Tom was about five feet eight
inches high； lusty； and very strongly built； that he had something
the matter with his right eye； that he was very satirical and very
clever； that his wife was a very clever woman and satirical； his
two daughters both clever and satirical； and his servant…maid
remarkably satirical and clever； and that it was impossible to live
with Twm O'r Nant without learning to be clever and satirical； that
he always appeared to be occupied with something； and that he had
heard him say there was something in him that would never let him
be idle； that he would walk fifteen miles to a place where he was
to play an interlude； and that as soon as he got there he would
begin playing it at once； however tired he might be。 The old
gentleman concluded by saying that he had never read the works of
Twm O'r Nant； but he had heard that his best piece was the
interlude called 〃Pleasure and Care。〃
CHAPTER LII
The Treachery of the Long Knives … The North Briton … The Wounded
Butcher … The Prisoner。
ON the tenth of September our little town was flung into some
confusion by one butcher having attempted to cut the throat of
another。 The delinquent was a Welshman； who it was said had for
some time past been somewhat out of his mind； the other party was
an Englishman； who escaped without further injury than a deep gash
in the cheek。 The Welshman might be mad； but it appeared to me
that there was some method in his madness。 He tried to cut the
throat of a butcher： didn't this look like wishing to put a rival
out of the way？ and that butcher an Englishman： didn't this look
like wishing to pay back upon the Saxon what the Welsh call
bradwriaeth y cyllyll hirion； the treachery of the long knives？ So
reasoned I to myself。 But here perhaps the reader will ask what is
meant by 〃the treachery of the long knives？〃 whether he does or not
I will tell him。
Hengist wishing to become paramount in Southern Britain thought
that the easiest way to accomplish his wish would be by destroying
the South British chieftains。 Not believing that he should be able
to make away with them by open force he determined to see what he
could do by treachery。 Accordingly he invited the chieftains to a
banquet to be held near Stonehenge； or the Hanging Stones； on
Salisbury Plains。 The unsuspecting chieftains accepted the
invitation； and on the appointed day repaired to the banquet； which
was held in a huge tent。 Hengist received them with a smiling
countenance and every appearance of hospitality； and caused them to
sit down to table； placing by the side of every Briton one of his
own people。 The banquet commenced； and all seemingly was mirth and
hilarity。 Now Hengist had commanded his people that when he should
get up and cry 〃nemet eoure saxes；〃 that is； take your knives； each
Saxon should draw his long sax； or knife； which he wore at his
side； and should plunge it into the throat of his neighbour。 The
banquet went on； and in the midst of it； when the unsuspecting
Britons were revelling on the good cheer which had been provided
for them； and half…drunken with the mead and beer which flowed in
torrents； uprose Hengist； and with a voice of thunder uttered the
fatal words 〃nemet eoure saxes：〃 the cry was obeyed； each Saxon
grasped his knife and struck with it at the throat of his
defenceless neighbour。 Almost every blow took effect； only three
British chieftains escaping from the banquet of blood。 This
infernal carnage the Welsh have appropriately denominated the
treachery of the long knives。 It will be as well to observe that
the Saxons derived their name from the saxes； or long knives； which
they wore at their sides； and at the use of which they were
terribly proficient。
Two or three days after the attempt at murder at Llangollen；
hearing that the Welsh butcher was about to be brought before the
magistrates； I determined to make an effort to be present at the
examination。 Accordingly I went to the police station and inquired
of the superintendent whether I could be permitted to attend。 He
was a North Briton； as I have stated somewhere before； and I had
scraped acquaintance with him； and had got somewhat into his good
graces
